Council members Laketa Cole (left), Laure Quinlivan (second from right) and Jeff Berding (far right) talk with Mayor Mark Mallory before Monday's meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee.

Written by

Barry Horstman
bhorstman@enquirer.com

Sending a strong message that officials hope is heard from Cincinnati City Hall to Washington, a City Council committee Monday recommended approval of $64 million in bonds for the streetcar project, moving the long-debated plan a huge step closer to reality.

Although significant obstacles remain - among them, a possible lawsuit and the need for roughly $50 million more in state or federal grants - Monday's decision demonstrated the firm local commitment to the project that a top Washington official said week would improve the city's chances of securing the extra money needed.